I also like the retro feel of the cup and the scalloped paper. It reminded me of a 1930's era kitchen. So I added the buttons and the bias tape (reminds me of one of my grandma's aprons). I wish I remembered the name of the manufacturer of the scalloped paper (if you know--please share).

I stamped the cup and the sentiment with Fluid Chalk Ink by Clearsnap. It works GREAT with colored pencils (and watercolors, too) and gives a nice matte finish to the image. These are some of my favorite inks to use. They stamp great on non-porous surfaces, cloth, as well as on paper--and, hey, they are on sale, too at Rubbernecker.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Yesterday I had some cards to get done to send out to some friends AND I was in the mood to watercolor. Impression Obsession to the RESCUE!

First for the Color Challenge at SplitCoastStampers:

Then--using blue and flowers (for a friend's birthday):

I forgot how much I love to watercolor (I know I have said that before). In my studio in my new house, I am not near a source of water, so I often opt for other coloring choices. I would LOVE to take a watercoloring class someday--but it isn't going to happen this year.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

First.....
Arrrrrrr ye mateys, it be a Tuesday and ya know what that means. It’s Treasure Hunt Tuesday at Rubbernecker Stamp Company. Put ye swashbuckling skills to the test and plunder all the treasure that be waitin’ fer ya. Set sail along with me mates and join us fer the first clue. Along ye way, there are a few ports ya need be stoppin’ at. There be some extra to be found today – set sail now and visit Broni and Linda for a chance to win a $10 Rubbernecker Gift Certificate! After ye stops there, head on over to Rubbernecker where ye will find the first clue and more deets on how ya may claim ye bounty! While ye are sailing around today, make sure ye stop and visit the rest of me mates, Shelly, Tami, Kittie, Sherry, Bev, and Candy.You’ll also want to take note that the MINI SCOR-IT and Colorbox Fluid chalk Full size pads are on sale. And all orders containing $25 in product (not stamps or cushion) will receive a 10% rebate (rebate based on subtotal after all discounts taken) on the entire order.
Now for today's card...
To make this card I used the chalkboard technique for the main image. I colored the tree, leaves and moon with colored pencils, and the clouds with chalk (pastels). The background is made using the faux dry embossing technique.

Monday, August 25, 2008

Today, this branch is spooky--come back closer to Christmas--it will be decked with snow--in spring it will have flowers.

But today, it is home to a fat glittery spider.

The branch was stamped using the faux dry embossing technique. Do I think it looks like it has been dry embossed?? No, I think I would need to try different ink/paper color combos to make that work. BUT, I do think the effect is rather cool!!

The branch was stamped with Frayed Burlap (Tim Holtz Distress Ink) and then with a white pigment ink. The webs were stamped with Old Paper (THDI). The spider was stamped with the Frayed Burlap, colored with pencils, and then outlined with a glitter gel pen.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Do you remember being bundled in a costume--barely being able to move--and trying to get around the neighborhood?? Well, this little "Trick or Treater" has had ENOUGH! Just hand over the candy! He and the candies are colored with Prismacolor and Copic Markers.

The patterned paper is only black and white, but I colored some of the dots with my Prismacolor and Copic markers.

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Have you seen the new Great Outdoors DoodleFactory stamps??!!!?? They crack me up! And anyone who has spent ANY time in the great outdoors has encountered a mosquito or two. (tee hee) Stamping them is quite a bit more fun than swatting them!!

This quote by Ms. Starving Artistamps herself just CRACKS me up. Both "Squito" and the sentiment were stamped with Memento Ink from Tsukineko (Paris Dusk and Rich Cocoa ). The "Squito" image is colored with Copic and Prismacolor markers.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

AARG it is Treasure Hunt Tuesday...but first..
I currently find spiders annoying. Since my stamp area is in my basement--I often have them as my uninvited companions. Small ones, mind you, but they still spin webs. Eeew!
This little guy, however, is just too cute! He is by Stamp Oasis by Rubbernecker. I stamped him with StazOn onto glossy white cardstock and highlighted him with white crayon. I brayered Broken China ink over the image. Then I wiped off the crayon, and added Shabby Shutters ink to the eyes with a q-tip. I then sponged the edges with Black Soot and splattered some ink on the image with Larry's toothbrush. (Who is Larry?? Someone who needs to get a new tooth brush-tee hee).
Instructions to make the square spring card can be found HERE.
Now for Treasure:

Today (4am -9pm PST) is Tuesday Treasure Hunt day at Rubbernecker Stamp Co! For Treasure Hunt details and the first clue —-> Go HERE to the Rubbernecker Home Page.Treasure Hunt Blog Candy - Leave me a comment on this post to be entered in a drawing for a $10 Rubbernecker Bucks certificate Shellyis also offering Blog candy today, so make sure to stop by and leave a comment on her blog post as well.Also check Linda, Tami, and Broni for awesome Rubbernecker card samples!!
Also,

Monday, August 18, 2008

And my generous friend Stacy has shared some House Mouse images with me--so I can play along!!

The theme this week is *NEW* since this is the first challenge of this new blog. SO here is my first birthday card for someone who is NEW to birthdays. (I hope this is not TOO much of a stretch!!) Kids this age love high contrast and bright colors--so I dug out my last scrap of this wild paper and added some gel pen accents to it. (MY fabulous SIL got me a HUGE set of gel pens--glitter--metallic--neon--more--at Cosco--they even came in a COOL holder). The mouse is colored with colored pencils, and the *smoke* is smeared Stickles.

As a part of the Fan Club Gallery over at SplitCoastStampers--there are monthly themed play along challenges. This month is "All that Glitters" and we were invited to make a Tiffany (as in the jewelry store) themed card.

Here is mine:

It has the Tiffany theme in color, theme (wedding) and object (ring charm). The square was masked off with Post-It notes and misted with a ink, perfect pearl, and water mixture. The flower stamp was misted with water prior to stamping.

Friday, August 15, 2008

Next weekend is a baby shower for my brother and sister-in-law's baby. We are all excited because we haven't had a baby on that side of the family in five years. (sorry for the so-so quality photo--still perfecting the photo area in this new house)

The head and first two peas are a 1-1/4" circle punch, the small pea is a 1" punch. The hat is a 1/4" punch, a 1-3/8" punch and a small oval from my Coluzzle set. The ears are a handheld oval punch and the hair is a flower punch. The details are made with chalk, white gel pen, and a blue marker. This design is based on a previous design of mine: Baby Boy Congrats. U have foolishly sold my spiral and drop punch in a garage sale so I couldn't add those details.

I hope my in-laws like it (to go with our group gift) if not, they can go to Hallmark, and I will have a baby boy card for my stash.

Yeah, you could say I have a thing for coffee images!!!...let alone a thing for coffee! Most parts of this were colored with two markers. And mostly I used Prismacolor Markers. I am trying to teach myself to layer colors for shading and build up color, too.

The paper is some SUPER fun paper I picked up at a scrapbook store in Jenison, MI, while shopping with my friend, Shelly. It is from Daisy Bucket and this line is called Playlist. I had never heard of this company before, but I am super impressed with these papers. They are double sided (though the reverse is usually a very subtle mono chromatic pattern) and textured. PLUS with each line there is a page of 6 x 6 patterns. As fellow card makers--you know how fun those little 6 x 6 papers are with their reduced size patterns!!! FUN!!!!

That is it for today.... gotta go get my chocolate zucchini cake out of the oven...Yummo!

The image came from my friend Stacy. She does amazing things with House Mouse stamps!! This is my first time working with them. It was fun. Thanks STACY!!! In looking back--I wish I had read her House Mouse Monday post and participated by adding something shiny to this! Perhaps next week!

Here is a close-up so the detail shows:

--I had a hard time getting a good picture. Since I don't have a dark purple pencil, I shaded first with Indigo blue and then with Violet and Lavender. I was pleased with the result.

The sentiment is from Starving Artistamps. The teal strip is stamped with the retired Linen stamp from SU!

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

One of my mom's favorite fall flowers are chrysanthemums, so I couldn't resist this stamp from Rubbernecker. It reminds me of my Grandma's garden and high school homecoming (in band, our senior year, every senior was giving a HUGE yellow chrysanthemum with a Pipe cleaner letter M on it).
As the temperatures get cooler, I look forward to seeing these flowers in my garden (that my mom comes and plants for me to ensure their survival).
The flowers are stamped with Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, Dried Marigold, and Worn Lipstick Tim Holtz Distress Ink. The Leaves (happens to be a birch leaf) was inked in Scattered Straw and then the edges were inked with Shabby Shutters then stamped off before stamping.

Materials Used:

Stamps: Emerson Quote by Rubbernecker, #5021-E solid birch leaf by KK Originals, and Chrysanthemum from Stamp Oasis: all from Rubbernecker;

Today (4am -9pm PST) is Treasure HuntTuesday at Rubbernecker Stamp Co! For Treasure Hunt details and the first clue —- Go HERE to the Rubbernecker Home Page. Rubbernecker is beginning a new weekly sales and rebate campaign. You’ll also want to take note that the Ranger Adironack Pigment Pads and Reinkers are still on sale. If you look closely, you’ll see that if you purchase $25 in product, you’ll receive a 10% rebate on your entire order. Not only that, but for every $100 spent, you’ll receive an additional 10% off your total.Treasure Hunt Blog Candy - Leave me a comment on this post to be entered in a drawing for a $10 Rubbernecker Bucks certificate Candy is also offering Blog candy today, so make sure to stop by and leave a comment on her blog post as well. While ye are sailing around today, make sure ye stop and visit the rest of me mates, Shelly, Tami, Kittie, Broni, Bev, and Linda.Good luck, Matey!

Monday, August 11, 2008

I had a family reunion on the other side of the state which happened to be mere minutes from my good friend, Shelly. (EXCELLENT planning, Mom!)

So Shelly whisked me away for shopping and a YUMMY lunch! We also exchanged goodies! This is what I had for her:

On the left is a package of M & M Premiums (Mocha flavor) and on the right is a box in a bag (tutorial here). I used my new 29th Street Market Paper -the *Spirit* line (MME) on this--Yummo stuff!!

And this is what she had for me:

Anyone who knows me at all, knows I am a bit disorganized, and so I tend to lose stuff. Before I moved in June, I had been missing my bone folder (for about 2 years). In packing up the house, I found it in the front hall coat closet--I don't even WANT to know how it got there. Well, last week, it went missing again. So Shelly created the UN-LOSABLE bone folder. Isn't it cool!?!? She used alcohol inks to make it look REALLY cool! Her dh drilled the hole. Thanks Shelly!!

Well, it being a family reunion, mom and her sister wanted pictures taken. Shelly graciously agreed to help with the photo taking so everyone could be in the picture! What a good friend--to take pictures of my insane family!! MANY PICTURES!! Here she is in action:

Thursday, August 07, 2008

A rough week at work for dh. He needs another sympathy card. Not to mention that the staff has lost three (all elderly) dogs in the past 6 weeks.
I used the Verve set, Serenity. I intended to use this weeks sketch, but it got looking a little fussy. I generally like sympathy cards to be a little more simple. I did get to use my new "29th Street Market" paper by My Mind's Eye. Yummo!! To stamp on, I used SU!'s Whisper White mainly because dye ink tends to pool up on polymer stamps--and this paper seems to re-distribute the ink so it isn't splotchy.

Materials Used:

Stamps: Serenity (Verve);

Paper: Whisper White and Really Rust; DP="29th St. Market" (MME);

Ink: Old Paper and Tea Stain Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Ranger);

Accessories: Dew Droppy Thingies (Michael's); Sponge;

Thanks for looking. I sure hope my next project will not be a sympathy card!

Wednesday, August 06, 2008

Sadly my dh needed a sympathy card (a family member of a co-worker died). So I used the handiest stamps (and mask that was already made)--the ones I used yesterday.

The base layer is watercolor paper that was misted with plain water. Then I stamped the birch leaf with Old paper, Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint and Brushed Corduroy Tim Holtz Distress Ink. The base was misted with a water, Perfect Pearl (pearl), and Shabby Shutters. So the base has a bit of a shimmer. The sentiment was placed with a Stamp-A-Ma-Jig.

Materials Used:

Stamps: Birches and Birch Leaf (Rubbernecker); Sentiment from Close as a Memory (SU!);

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

My news is that I have been invited to be a Guest Designer for Rubbernecker Stamp Company!! (Did you notice the button on the right side that appeared yesterday??) Bev Gerard, a.k.a. Texas Grammy, is also joining the team as a Guest Designer. I am SO honored to be associated with such a talented group of stampers!!!
And Tuesdays are Treasure Hunt Tuesdays at Rubbernecker! The treasure, if you find it, will be a free image! However, to receive the image a purchase of any size is required, and your treasure must be claimed between 4:00 am PST and 9:00 PM PST today. (That’s 7:00 am to 12:00 am on the East coast.) The first clue will be found on the Rubbernecker Home Page!
When you head over to the Rubbernecker Home Page, check out these great deals:*** For every $50 you spend on, the Jeanne Streiff Collection, Kittie Kits, Rubbernecker, Stamp Oasis or KK Originals stamps, you get to choose a FREE stamp!***AND 25% off Adirondack PIGMENT pads and Re-Inkers!!! (So cool!)
Check out Tami and Shelly for Blog Candy!
And some awsome card samples by Broni, Bev, Candy, Sherry, Kittie and Linda.
And now for a card:Materials Used:

Stamps: Birches and Birch leaves from Rubbernecker;

Paper: Watercolor paper and Bazzill Cardstock (sorry forgot to write down the color names when I bought it);

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FTC Declaration -

FTC16CFR, Part 255. In the spirit of full disclosure, I declare that I am a freelance designer. I currently receive or have received in the past products that I promote and endorse as a freelance designer for free or at a discount from the following companies: Starving Artistamps, Rubbernecker and A Day for Daisies. Any product that I sell and endorse is a product I have used in my designs and recommend with complete honesty. As a freelance designer, I have the freedom to promote/endorse products that I personally use and love. I have not nor will I knowingly endorse a product that I feel is of substandard quality.